Challenge Iron
 

This will be our first trip to the Southern. What gun's do you guy's prefer for the Challenge five stand course?

LUCK......:banghead::rotf::cuss:

a nice 12 ga. VHE rem. skeet gun :whistle: scott

IC and Mod would be fine but shoot what you shoot best!

I did my best work using a GHE 16 with 30 inch bbls choked IC(a tight IC) and M. I'll have that gun this year but also a 12 choked M/IM. There course isn't a skeet choked friendly set up.

Shoot what gun you like the most and feel the most confident with.
"Never go into battle with an unproven rifle" (in this case a shotgun):nono:

A 12 or 16 ga. (any grade!) CYL/IMP CYL and MOD 1 or 1 1/2 frame will get you through in fine style. Whatever you do use GOOD AMMO; min. 1 to 1 1/8 oz. HARD SHOT (plated would be ideal) which will come through for you on the long birds especially; "Wally World" or generic "Dove and Quail" loads have always headed me for the Port-O-Johns early in these shoots!

I've participated in every Challenge. I've shot decent practice rounds with everything from 10 gauge to 28 gauge, 26 inch to 32 inch barrels, cylinder to full choke, hammer and hammerless. On the other hand, I've shot poorly in the qualifying round with every gun I carried to the line. I'd say it's got more to do with the head than the gun. So, take Dr. Truitt's advice: "Shoot what gun you like the most and feel the most confident with."

Good luck to everyone. I look forward to seeing all my old friends and making new ones. After all, that's what the Southern is really about.

John Davis

The Challenge 5 stand is typically set a little stiffer than other 5 stands I've shot. Some longish birds and very few in your face creampuffs. Once you start sorting the guns you feel comfortable with, I suggest picking one with one barrel with some choke in it. I have fired the 5 stand with M & F and felt comfortable. I don't think I would with cylinder and skeet. If you've got a few spreaders in your vest, a F & F would be just fine. Just my opinion. Frank

Frank's last piece of advice fits my experience. I have never shot the Challenge with anything but full and full. However, that may be overkill in the first barrel. I would not consider shooting the Challenge with anything but a full or near full in the second barrel. Some shooters have been successful with bird guns, but big 32" vent rib trap guns are popular with shooters on both teams. One year, the highest qualifying score was shot with Henry Bartholomew's Becker Fox duck gun with over forty thousandths of choke in either barrel. We would all like to know what constriction of choke Dr. Truitt uses, but he evades the subject in his post. The hammer gun event on Sunday is friendly to any gun you shoot well.

Dave owns the best Challenge gun made by man, formerly owned by someone who would like to see it again. Bring it along, Dave.

I used to believe in opening chokes, but not anymore; I just shoot them as is. It will be F/F this year as last. Edward shot a VH last year with 42 thou in each barrel and did OK using 7/8 oz. handloads and 1 oz. Gun Clubs. This year he's going to use a #1 frame dam 2 hammer gun with IC/Mod. It's the Indian not the arrow.

Thanks Bill for the confirmation. Just one suggestion for anyone doing Challenge qualifications. When you're up to bat, shooting simos, be sure to tell the scorer if you're going to shoot that pair opposite of the earlier shooters. It's my experience that 5-stand scorers are attuned to looking at, let's say, the left bird first.... and if you shoot that pair right-left, he may think you missed the left bird on the first barrel, and hit it with the second. Or worse yet, that you missed the left bird, and then when he looks for the right one he doesn't see anything - so he marks you down for two O's instead of two X's. This isn't a problem with the actual Challenge shooting because each team has a person there to help the scorer confirm dead/loss whichever way you shoot the simo. Nuff said. Frank

xxx

Bill, I've shot that gun you reference and can't for the life of me figure out why the former owner would ever have sold it. Must have been a weak moment...

Mr. Murphy has not yet met "The Gravedigger."

Dave, that gun was sold to you because the seller thought you would enjoy it. As you can imagine, that gun could have been sold to anyone. The gun has it all, features, rarity, provenance, and enough non original wood and finish to make it comfortable to shoot. Enjoy, my friend.

John Truitt and Ed Blake have confirmed my suspicions. The high scoring shooters on the Challenge course more often than not shoot big, long, tightly choked guns, shooting a shot size that will break a 60 yard bird. The L.C. Smith shooters are also fond of the vent rib 32" trap gun.

I suspect that high scorers at the Southern would be high scorers no matter what they took to the line.

We knew that, John, but were trying to take the pressure off the "Indian". Alex Papp, our RST guru, made the team with a 16 gauge Trojan bird gun.

Gentlemen, Thank you all for your advice. I think we will bring a a few long barreled guns. 30" VH 20 Full and Full,30" GHE 16, full and full and yes the 32" VHE vent rib trap gun. If I want a little less choke I will just run some of Morris's spreaders through them.

Bill, I think of you every time I shoot that great gun and you will have ample visitation. Thanks Again....:bowdown:

There are two Gents (but only two that I know of) that have made the team using a 20ga, they are Jay Bunting and Chuck Brunner:bowdown:

My friend Jay probably didn't shoot the 20 in the finals and my neighbor Chuck probably doesn't own a 12 gauge that he has ever shot. They are two great guys and I hope they both make it to the Southern.

The 20 is for Danny to shoot at sporting....:)

If #207429 were to show up to the Southern I would be more than happy to shoot her (she is a 20 ga) for the Challenge Event.

I'm pretty sure Jay shot the 20 in the finals. Its a gorgeous DHE that I still drool over just thinking of it. Chuck will be there for sure.

I'm contemplating bringing the DHE trap gun owned by Mr. Mellman of Cozad Nebraska.